Lemovicium

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

LEMOVICIVM. (Book Lemovicium) LEMOVICIVM was so called from the chiefe Citie Le∣movicum;* 1.1 but it is not knowne from whence the name thereof is derived. Some doe referre it to Lemovices, the first establisher of this Countrie. It is commonly called Pais on compte de k 1.2 Limosin. On the North and North East side of it lyeth Berry; on the East Burbon, on the South and South-East Arverma, on the West and West-South-West Pericort: and lastly on the North-West Poictou. There is a great ancient Elme standing North∣ward betweene the Village called La Maison Nesuc (from the new House that is in it) and Argentomum (a Towne of Berry) toward the North, which doth bound and limit foure Countries, Berry, Burbon, Arverma, and Lemovicium, so that it is reported, that the foure Princes of these Countries did heere talke and conferre together, and every one of them stood in his owne Territorie. The Soyle is not every where equally fruitfull,* 1.3 being, for the most part, somewhat barren, yet it produceth all kinde of fruites, especially Wheate, Barley, a kinde of Graine called Panicum, Chesse-nuts, and Wine, but of an inferiour small kinde, yet in the lower parts of Lemovicium they have a richer sort. Some would have the Lemovicians (for so Pliny calleth the ancient Inhabitants, whom Strabo calleth Lemobikes, and Ptolemie Lemovikoi, from the Citie Lemo∣vick) to be the native and ancient Inhabitants of this Countrie, and they make Lemovi•es to bee their Founder, being descended from the Gome∣ritae or Galatae,* 1.4 as some doe thinke. Some doe suppose, that hee was of the blood of the great Lybian Hercules, who when he had come through Spaine, & passed over the Pyrenaean Mountaines, lived a while in France. This is peculiar to this Province onely of all France, that whereas Wri∣ters doe onely name other Provinces of France, and doe not mention from whence the people of the Cities were so called, heere the contrary happeneth: for Caesar maketh mention of the Lemovicians and their Ci∣tie, and writeth, that they were the first that yeelded unto him, for they were lovers of peace, and haters of discord. But after that the Lemovi∣cians had made a league with Caesar, they obeyed a Prince who was joy∣ned in confederacie with the Romans, to whom they were subject untill the Gothes did repell them, and possessed all Aquitania. They write that the French-men afterward, having driven out the Gothes, did governe the Lemovicians, and did set Earles and Dukes to rule over them, the one to manage their Battels, the other to administer Justice. The most doe divide Lemovicium into two parts, the Higher and the Lower. Le Haut & bas Limosin. The Higher (which is properly called Limosin) is plainer than the lower part,* 1.5 and the Metropolis thereof is Lemovicum. So many doe thinke that A. Hirtius did call it lib. 8. de Bello Gallico, but now it is called Limoges: Fulvius Vrsinus calleth it Limonum, by the authoritie of ancient Bookes; Ptolemie cals it Ratiaston in Aquitania, as Ioseph Scaliger writing to Merula supposeth, Villonovanus also assenting to him. But Bertrandus thinketh that it is called Rahastum in stead of Raiz, by the af∣finitie and likenesse of names. This Citie is seated partly in a Vale, and partly on the top of a litle Hill, being well fortified with a Castle, and strong Wals: it hath abundance of water, which springeth from a cleare Fountaine in the higher part of the Citie. This Citie is the Nur∣serie of diligence and industrie, and the prison-house of sloth and idle∣nesse. The women doe honour and much esteeme of chastitie and mer∣cifulnesse. It is the Seate of a Bishop. Heere are also other Townes, which in the Language of the Inhabitants are called La Soubsterraine, Le B••sson, Barat, Dorat, Consolat, and others, which for brevities sake I o∣mit. Amongst them Chassusio is not to be forgotten, as being famous for the yearely Faires of Cattell and horses, which are kept there on Saint Georges day. There are also Abbies in this hither part of the Countrie, amongst the which are the Abbies of Grandimont, and S. Leonard. The lower part of Lemosin, being more mountainous than the higher, is pro∣perly called La Marche de Limosin, limited with Avernia and Perigort. The chiefe Citie thereof is Tutela or Tulla, commonly called Tulle, being situated in a rugged mountainous place; and being the Seate not onely of a Bailiffe, but of a new Bishop, built out of the ruines of an old Mona∣sterie. In Latine hee is called Tutelensis Episcopus. There is also Vsarcha or Vsarche, a pleasant Towne, having a sweete Ayre, and seated neere the River Vezer. Fame boasteth, that this Towne is impregnable, and that it cannot be taken; whence there is a Proverbe, Cui Vsarchae est do∣mus, arcem eum possidere in Lemovicum ditione: i. Hee that hath an house in Vsarcha, hath, as it were, a Castle in the Countrie of Lemosin. Histo∣ries doe speake much of the vertue of the Citizens, and doe report, that they resisted the English, even when they conquered all Aquitania, and that they remained constant and faithfull to their Prince the King of France. There is the Towne Briva, seated on the pleasant and fertile Plaine, environed with woods, and having many Vineyards: It is the Seate of a Chancellour. Heretofore, it is thought, it belonged to the Countrie of Perigort, and that Charles the sixth King of France did joyne it to Limosin. There are also other Townes, as Treignac, Donzenac, Alas∣sac, Bellus-locus, Meissac, Vsset, and Bello-mon. There are many illustrious Families in this Countrie;* 1.6 in the Higher there are the Families of Pier∣re-Bussire,* 1.7 Chasteau-neuf, and Carsic, which are honoured with Vicount∣ships, also Roche-Covart which is one of the ancientest Families in Aqui∣tania, Maygnac, and others. In the lower part is Pampadoura, Aumont, Roffignac, San-Iala, Gemma, and infinite others. The Inhabitants of Le∣movicium are very sparing in their meate & drinke,* 1.8 being content with a litle; they hate dainty meates, but are great eaters of bread, so that the Proverb saith, A Lemovician is a Bread-devourer. In the Villages they doe not use to drinke Wine. They are industrious, ingenious, and warie, as being very provident in all things. The Common-people are covetous, and sluttish in their houses; the Nobility are magnificent, of a high spirit, and liberall. The most of them doe live untill they be very old, for there are those which doe see their Grandchildrens Children. They say, that heere neere Cousins, without any dispensation from the Pope, doe marry amongst themselves, and do not part their goods. Belleforestius writeth, that hee saw Families, in which a hundred linkt to∣gether by the affinity of marriage did live together, so that they seemed to be like Colledges. I will heere adde for conclusion that which Iohan∣nes Puncteius writeth concerning the originall of the Lemovicians.

Ecce Lemoviculae sedes gratissima genti, &c. Behold the Lemovicians pleasant SeateIn fortie five degrees and halfe compleateOf Latitude, which doth it selfe stretch forthTo take a view of the cold frozen North.The Longitude even from the setting Sunne,Stretching it selfe toward the East, doth runneAs farre as the Avernian Mountaines, andToucheth beside the Biturigian Land.But where that Phoebus dips his horses inThe Sea, till they to plunge therein begin,Angolmum it doth view, and doth beholdPart of Pictavia: as towards the coldNorth, on the Biturigians it confines;And Southward to the Petragorians joynes,With whom in manners they doe more agreeThan with the others that their neighbours bee.Faire Aquitania doth containe this Land,Which for good manners comes behinde none; andVienna, that doth from the Mountaines flowe,Watereth the upper grounds as it doth goeWith winding streames, which runne out many wayes,While thousands of faire kine doe by them graze:This the Inhabitants in their speech doe callVigana, which from thence doth headlong fallBy Lemovicium's Citie, which doth lyePart in a Vale, part on a Hill so high,Where Saints doe glorie in its Churches state,Which unto holy Stephen's consecrate.Fame doth report, that French-men of the lineOf Gomer held this Countrey at that time,Nohemus off•spring troupes of men did leade,Which into divers Countries they did spread:From thence the true originall then cameOf Lemovicians, who ne're chang'd their name,Vnlesse you'le have the Phrygians for to changeTheir Seates, while they did with Alvernus range,And Limovices for to finde new land,And ease their griefe which they at home sustain'd▪The Soyle is barren whence no fruite doth grow,And no faire swelling Rivers in it flow.It flourisheth with men that in it are,And is enrich't with many kindes of ware.The Land is strong in Armes, and heretoforeThe valiant English could not passe it o're,But were enforced on the mountaines high The French-mens quick resisting force to trie:Yea this same Citie valiantly sustain'dThe Visigothian siege, and honour gain'd:Nor could the English furious attemptOppresse it, when to take it they were bent:And after threescore yeares were past, the TowneAnd wals thereof decayed, there were showneMany strange Reliques which most ancient were,For some the face of Senatours did beare.And quick-silver even by the Pensils Art,Or by Perillus skill, did there impartMuch grace unto the halfe-consumed eyesOf the dead statue which unmoved lyes.Moreover, for the wals on Southerne sideA Lionesse in shape may bee espi'd.Who folding two whelps with her crooked feeteHath these three Verses underneath her writ. The Lionesse doth cruell Dukes bring forth, and also crowne,The madde and wilie off-spring doth this nurse oppressing frowne,But suffers underneath the weight wherewith hee's pressed downe.